Do we really need a new U.N. oceans treaty? Yes, and here’s why

The oceans are in bad shape. The high seas — like the moon, outer space and Antarctica — can’t be claimed by any nation. They are “areas beyond national jurisdiction,” and therefore protecting them requires international cooperation. A new United Nations oceans treaty — Agreement on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction — would do just that, by focusing on greater biodiversity preservation.